Ghazali's defense said he never intended to kill Harris as he fled the Top Stop store in North Memphis after stealing an alcoholic beverage. Rather, Ghazali fired a weapon upward into the night air as Harris ran away. The rounds fired were meant to be warning shots, the defense said.

But Harris was struck by a bullet that severed his femoral artery, causing the teen to bleed out as he continued to flee through the surrounding neighborhood.